Palpitations

[Bubble56]

I am now reducing to 5.5 mg pred and last Friday started to get palpitations which last all day but don’t disturb me during the night. I am concerned about them but don’t want to ring my GP unless I really need to. Can palpitations be a side effect of lowering pred dose ( I’m reducing by 0.5 mg per month)? Or is this a separate issue that I should deal with after 5 days of constantly having them?

😭. ……… I thought I was doing so well!!!

[Kendrew]

Hi Bubble56, I have had a history of palpitations for the past 40yrs on and off, but they've been absent for several years. After starting steroids in May 2019, they re-emerged. I would definitely say that in my case they were a side effect of the steroids but it's important to say that despite seeing a cardiologist several times over the years, and being told my palpitations were an unusually excessive amount of ectopic beats (uncomfortable but harmless) I returned to see the cardiologist 18mths ago to be checked out again. Thankfully it was just the same thing. I also feel that stress played some part in their reoccurrence too. I'm on a beta blocker again and all good now.

Whenever new symptoms occur and particularly where the heart is concerned, the advice would always be to get it checked out. In your case there's no real way of knowing for sure if they're pred related and you must never assume anything so best to talk to your GP or specialist about it.

[123mossie]

Hi bubble 56 I believe it’s possible to get palpitations at lower doses of pred as the adrenals need to work harder. Are they occasional extra beats or fast pulse? I’d be inclined to treat it as a separate issue that warrants investigation so do contact your gp.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

They do need to be checked out - once you know why they are happening and are managed if necessary you can ignore them but while there are lots of causes, if that can't be sorted out, there is other treatment you may need ongoing to keep well.

A single ECG isn't a lot of use unless you have an episode at the time and at the GP it may take a while to get one done. The quick way is to call 999 and tell them you are having lasting palpitations - paramedics carry 12-lead ECGs and in many Trusts can link to the hospital for an opinion from a cardiologist. That is what my GP told me to do - I never did but I should have as it turned out to be atrial fibrillation which needs a blood thinner to reduce the very real risk of stroke.

[Bubble56 in reply to PMRpro]

Oh my goodness!!! I was hoping for a simple "its adrenal glands beginning to work again".Thank you all for your replies...........I shall do something about it! 😪

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bubble56]

Sorry - I knew you were but you can't blame everything on PMR or pred. They don't excuse us from other things and as you age things like arrythmias happen anyway. My atrial fibrillation is almost certainly due to the autoimmune side of PMR.

[lindyloy in reply to PMRpro]

I always got Palps. when I tapered to reaching about 2mgs. then they stopped.

[Bubble56]

Thank you all..... I’m in the doctor’s surgery waiting now! Great response from my GP, I’ve had heart problems in the past so I’m taking your advice to get it checked out!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bubble56]

Hopefully it will be nothing serious - but you need to know.

[Bubble56 in reply to PMRpro]

Now waiting for an ambulance to take me to hospital 😩🙀. We are so lucky in this part of the country!!!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Bubble56]

So the GP is not discounting it!! Keep up the bulletins! Hope A&E isn;t being silly ..What part of the country are you in?

[Bubble56 in reply to PMRpro]

Quick update- I was admitted to hospital yesterday, I have seen a cardiologist and by chance a consultant in the admissions ward who specialises in Endocrinology. It’s definitely not anything to do with PMR or reduction of Pred! I’m now on beta blockers that have made a difference. Thank you so, so much for all your replies- without your advice I probably would have continued to ignore the palpitations and who knows where that would have led 🤷🏼‍♀️.Your great advice is invaluable.

[Carriemetz in reply to Bubble56]

Glad to read the whole of this thread bcos I’m in the process of having checks on exactly this at the moment. So glad u took the wise advice on here and checked it out. Good luck and let us know how it goes over time.

[Bubble56 in reply to Carriemetz]

Hope all goes well for you too. Thank you.

[Nextoneplease]

Good luck Bubble56 and well done for following this up 😊Look forward to further news

Nextoneplease x